Stay with me
by Sunsetproductions
Summary: It shouldn't be like this. It couldn't be like thisIt had always been like this. She had always been the weakest. She did always loose, and now there's one thing to play about; the final battle. Win or loose?


It shouldn't be like this. It couldn't be like this. She heard how someone screamed her name. It had always been like this. She had always been the weakest. She'd lost from Sakura, who did lose from Naruto in the competition for Sasuke, She'd lost her Asuma-sensei, and now again. She would loose once more. She would lose to death.  
She shivered. Again, someone that screamed for her. Who was it? And couldn't he be a little more silent? The light, she was looking up onto was so bright. It almost made her to step forward. She would run to the light, and then.. Once again, she would lose.  
But when she looked again, the light wasn't so bright at all. She saw in a little flash her Asuma-sensei, Kurenai and Kurenai's child, Shikamaru, and Chouji. She gasped for breath, and the light was beginning to disappear. The voice, which was screaming became louder, and louder. 'Shut up' she murmured. She opened her eyes and looked into a young man's face. His eyes were filled with fear, and it was his voice which made her come back.  
"You're back" he whispered.  
She just nodded, she couldn't do anything else. She looked up to the sky, and then to the right where another was man sitting, which was silently crying.  
"Shut up, Cho-uji. I'm not death yet." He looked up.

A little smile raised, to end up upon her face.  
"Ino-chan." He almost yelled.  
She smiled. "Nice to see you too, Chouji."  
The young man did still looked confused and his eyes were still full of fear.  
"Shi-ka-maru, What's wrong?" she asked, and he just shook his head. He wasn't able to tell. He couldn't nor he dared. She shivered, and tears ran down her cheek.  
"It is- going to" she hesitated, "end here, isn't it, Shikamaru? Yo-u can't find a solution for this pro-blem. It's the same situation as which it was by Asu-"  
"No, Shut up Ino." Her eyes widened. He was fighting for her, but the clock was ticking.

Chouji walked up and down, and up and down.  
"Where do they stay, Shikamaru?"  
The young man didn't answer.  
"Shikamaru" Chouji repeated.  
"I..I Don't Know" the young man answered, with a little bit of anger in his voice.  
She opened her eyes again, asking where she was.  
"Sssh, You're with me" the young man whispered.  
"Shikamaru?"  
"Yes, Ino?"  
"I.. Thank you."  
"You're welcome."  
"I'm cold, Shikamaru." She whispered.  
Chouji turned around, he'd been waiting for her to return from her sleep. He watched how the two in front of him were sitting in the moonlight. Ino who was fighting for her life, Shikamaru for his tears and for his fear of which was coming true.  
"Do you want to borrow my jacket?" he asked  
"No." She answered.  
This time his eyes widened.  
"I don't want you to catch a cold."  
He laughed.  
"Ino, please." His eyes were filled with tears, but also with a little piece of fun.  
"Don't cry, Shikamaru." She whispered, once more.  
"I am not crying, Ino"  
She laughed, which ended in coughing up some blood.  
"I'm dying, and you're still denying that you are not crying? Is that the definition of being a man?"  
"You are not dying, Ino."  
She fell again back into her sleep, and Shikamaru was gently touching her face, which was pale. He pulled of his jacked, and pulled it over Ino's head, and hands. She didn't made any noise, nor she was breathing  
"Ino, Ino, INO" he repeated yelling her name. She wanted to go back, she did not wanted to let him suffer through the same pain as with Asuma's funeral.  
"It can't be, come back to me.. Please" the young man cried.  
"We.. can't go any further without you, Ino." Chouji said.

Both man were crying right now, and Ino who fought for her life, did win the battle. For once in her life, she didn't lose.

With gasping for air she did come back, she opened her eyes, once more and smiled.  
"S-s-s-h-h-" she tried to say.  
He looked up.  
"Ino?"  
"Yes?"  
"Don't ever, ever make me so scared as you just did."  
She just smiled, and looked up to the moon, and then she realized that she was lying on his lap. But she couldn't talk. She wouldn't use her voice and then exhaust herself.  
They were just lying on the ground, watching the stars. She shivered again. This wasn't any good.. But she had to hold on. If it wasn't for her, then it was for her team. She couldn't leave them, she couldn't die. Not yet. It wasn't her time.  
"Aren't they there yet?" Chouji asked  
"No."  
"But, Tsunade said."  
"I know what they said, Chouji" the other man answered.  
"Shut up." She interrupted.  
The both man stayed quiet.  
"Sakura's team can't travel faster than they are already doing." She gasped for air. "And the last thing I want you guys to do now is get in a fight."  
The both man stared at her.  
"You know, if I die…" She saw that Shikamaru was trying to interrupt her, but she shook her head. "Stay quiet. I've to say a couple of things. You know, I made Asuma-sensei a promise. And that was that I should keep the team intact, even if he wasn't here anymore. You guys know that. And what are you doing? I'm dying, and you are angry at each other? It doesn't make any sense. You guys are Best .. "She started coughing up blood again, this time worse than the previous one.  
"Ino, be careful."  
Blood ran down from her mouth.  
"I'm .. I'm fine. Just tell me two things."  
"Tell us" Chouji replied.  
"One, how did I get so beaten up? I can't remember anything. And Two; promise me please, that you'll stay a team. Search another teammate. Someone who cares about you, makes sure Chouji eats enough but not too much and likes to watch clouds with Shikamaru. Just.. please…"  
Chouji nodded  
"I'll make sure that we will" He got interrupted.  
"No, we aren't going to search for a new teammate. You aren't going to die, Ino."  
"Accept the fact, Shikamaru. I'm bleeding. I'm bleeding for almost an hour now. I'm coughing up blood. What are you thinking, Shikamaru?" Her eyes were filled with a strong emotion and she wasn't afraid.  
"Guys, you were the best thing that ever happened to me. You guys were the reason I stayed a life. Until now. Chouji, would you do one thing for me?"  
"Sure"  
"Make sure that Shikamaru doesn't get overprotective." She smiled.  
"I will."  
"How did it end up like this?"  
Shikamaru couldn't answer. His voice was trembling , just like his hands which were still gently touching her hair.  
"You tried to save me and Shikamaru" Chouji started to talk. "We were both caught, and you knew this was going to and very bad. So you came up with a plan, but before you could accomplish your plan, they stabbed a kunai into your womb. After that, Shikamaru finished them off. I tried to help you, but it didn't"  
"Chouji, the only reason that I'm still living is because your help."  
She smiled.  
She took Shikamaru's left hand, and Chouji's right hand. Their hands were warm. So warm. She closed her eyes whispering that she was cold.  
"I'm cold, So cold." She whispered. "But you know. Asuma's waving to me. I love you guys." She put something in Shikamaru's hand and then, after battling for her life, she lost the final battle.  
Her last breath escaped from her mouth and then Sakura's team arrived.  
"Where is she?" She asked.  
"You're too late."  
"What?" Sakura lost the power in her feet and fell on the ground.  
"It can't be.."  
Shikamaru opened his hand and smiled.  
"Goodbye, Ino-chan" he said, his voice filled with love. 


End file.
